Sri Lanka vs England 1st ODI Live: Asalanka Wins Toss, Sri Lanka Opt to Bat First
In a crucial opening match of the ODI series, Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and decided to bat first against England on Thursday at the iconic R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. This strategic move set the stage for an intense battle as both teams aimed to gain an early advantage in the series.
Sri Lanka's Innings: Mendis and Liyanage Shine with the Bat
Riding on a stellar performance from Kusal Mendis, who remained unbeaten with a brilliant 93 runs, and a solid contribution of 46 runs from Janith Liyanage, Sri Lanka managed to post a competitive total of 271/6 in their allotted 50 overs. The partnership between Mendis and Liyanage provided the backbone of the innings, helping the team recover from early setbacks and build a formidable score.
Playing XIs for Sri Lanka vs England 1st ODI
The teams fielded strong line-ups for this high-stakes encounter. Here are the playing elevens for both sides:
- Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wicket-keeper), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka (captain), Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
- England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler (wicket-keeper), Sam Curran, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid
With both teams boasting a mix of experienced players and emerging talents, the match promises to be a thrilling contest as England prepares to chase down the target set by Sri Lanka.
